Descriptive epidemiological study of burn admissions to the Burns Intensive Care Unit of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi-Ghana, 2009–2016

Objective: To determine the trends in burn admissions, and aetiology, severity and mortality of patients admitted to the Burns Intensive Care Unit of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital from May 2009 to April 2016 (7 years). Methods: Patients' data used in this longitudinal and retrospective study were accessed from the records of the Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Burns Unit. Processed data were depicted in tables and figures as appropriate. Univariate and multivariate analysis and Pearson's rank correlation were used in comparing relevant groups. Data analysis was conducted using Excel version 2013 and SPSS version 17.0. Results: A total of 681 patients, with a male to female ratio of 1.1:1.0, were analysed. The average annual incidence was 97.28 with a progressive decline in incidence. Mortality rate was 24.2%. Majority of the patients were children less than 10 years (43.5%) with scalds as the main aetiology in this group. Open flame was the major aetiology of burns (49.9%). Majority of the patients spent less than 10 days on admission (67.1%). Mean total body surface area was 30.54%. There was correlation between TBSA and disposition, total body surface area and aetiology and number of days in the Burns Intensive Care Unit, total body surface area and aetiology, and aetiology and number of days in the Burns Intensive Care Unit. Conclusions: Children below 10 years were the main victims. There was a shift from scald to open flame burns in this current study. Mean total body surface area and mortality rate have increased. There is urgent need for prevention campaign of flame burn and first aid education on intensive burns.